Ceredo advance. [volume] (Ceredo, W. Va.) 1885-1939, 1887-06-23
GRAFTON,
Delivered ut tho Gills Opcra
House, i'm X knnsas City, Mo-, by
Judge Ill. 4. McDOugal.


Among the many good things
learned i'll the war, that cannot bc
forgotten in peace, is the maxim tha,
the first duty Of a soldier is obedi.
ence.
With this maxim before me, when
called by the the united voice of the
general committee to deliver the
Grafton of to-day, could but obey.
But aside from this. should feel
unworthy the uniform / wore. and
recrcant TO both cause and comradc,
| IT did not, in response to this call.
attcmpt 10 do Justice TO the memory
of our heroic dead which is demand.
ed by the occasion and the cause i'm
which they fought and for which
they died.
Old soldiers are still bound to.
gether by ties that can neither be
understood nor appreciated by 9th.
ers.
The strongest, trucst, best friend
ships between man and man arc
those formed in the perils of war.
Time does not dim their lustre
but, on the contrary, the heart OF
the old soldier is forever turning
backward; the golden chords OF
memory are swept by phantom fin.
ters; the present is lost sight of in
the reveric of the past: Now he is
IN camp, now on picket, now in the
terrible rain OF shot and she'll, rs he
stands shoulder to shoulder with
comrades on the field of battle; and
now, while proudly marching be.
meath the old flag, again keeping
step to the majestic muse of the
Union, he feels the touch OF the ell
bow of a loved boy comradc, who
to-day sleeps beneath the solmen
pine and cypress of southland, ir am
unknown grave.
Being assigned by the committee
to duty on the sk!rmish line between
the contending forces of past and
present; swayed as am by alter.
nate emotions of JOY and sorrow.
pr:dc and humility, regret and hope.
If, in the performance of this duty.
from within tho shadow and influ.
ence of the past, NY love for com.
rade, cause OF country, betrav me
into the expression of one sentiment
that shall CRATE harshly upon the
ear OF any, ! beg YOU to hold me
alone responsible for the utterance,
tor OF past, present and future shall
but speak the honest convictions OF
one old soldier.
In the annual observance OF mem
orial day, there comes TO every com
rade who would speak of the past,
Il great troop of precious memories
and hallowcd associations that
struggle for suitable utterancc.
To me the duty assigned brings
both sadness and pleasure. Sadness.
because in thus wandering back
through mcmory's wildwood. the
boys of long ago come forth and
pass IN review, again | sec the faces
and forms, the uniform and arms
and recall the sayings and songs
the suffering and death of scores OF
comrades known and loved i'm that
far away time-boys who went on,
from farm and shop, from store and
Office, school and university, with
faces as smooth, eyes as bright
hopes as high, as the boys we sec
here to-day; but who, alas, for the
crime Of civil war, to-day sleep the
sleep that knows no waking.
l find pleasure in il, however
because Of the hope that may be
able, in some degree, to contribute
to pcrpetuating in the hearts of the
people the memory Of these dead
comrades; that / may It The same
time be able to notice some fact,
and utter some sentiments which. il
considered without prejudice, will
do some good in healing the wounds
Of war, and bringing about that
fraternity which is demanded by
the best interests Of the present and
future Of our common country.
/ In July, 1861, az the age Of six
teen, ! enlisted under the old flag
| served as a private in the ranks for
over three years, and to-day claim
the honor Of having been, and ol
still being, ono Of the boys-oniy
one Of ZOO, 900 who wore the blue
only one out Of the thinned ranks
that returned home for muster out;
only one Of the survivors 10 rapidly
I disappearing from earth, only one
Of the Grand Army Of the Republic
Of to-day-and yet, pledge you
my word, that / would not blot out
that record, would not forget il, il ]
could, for any honor that could now
be conferred by the united voice OF
a free people.
The boys of'Gl to '65 all helped
to make the country what it is to-
day-helped TO make it prosperous
and happy ADD free.
Most Of us are proud Of the past,
believe in Memorial Day, and in its
/ observance neither see nor think OF
party politics-nothing but the per
petuity Of grand principle, a glo-
riOus memory.
But there arc n few who once
wore tire blue (and / thank God
they are but few. who, when mus
tered out OF the grand old army at
the close of The war, enlisted in the
army political, and since then have
f,t,.,I,f ,,,s,,t. Ifcodieee wars for the